Fourth of July
by SirJoshizzle
Summary: After Maya returns from her training in Kurain, the group spends the Fourth of July together. Phoenix decides to take a walk with her through Gourd Lake Woods, catching up on old times, and maybe a little bit more. Oneshot, Phoenix x Maya, Phoenix's POV.


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Start time: Wednesday July 4, 2007; 9:11 PM PDT

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So here we go, my first try at a Phoenix Wright story. 

For those who don't know me, I'm usually found in the Zelda section where I'm most popular (and I have a story in the Final Fantasy X section which is also fairly popular), but I began playing the Phoenix Wright games recently (I'm on Rise From the Ashes on the first game right now. I'm trying to get through the game without GameFAQs and I've been successful thus far), and I just discovered that Fanfiction had a Phoenix Wright archive, so I've been wanting to do a story in this section for some time. And now that it's Fourth of July (in the US anyway, happy Independece Day!), I have an excuse to do so.

This is basically a oneshot to celebrate Fourth of July, and the pairing in Phoenix/Maya. Looking around the section's archive, I've noticed that this pairing is a horrible minority (and Phoenix/Edgeworth fics are more ubiquitous than iPods), but hey, might as well, right? The group is celebrating Fourth of July, when Phoenix and maya decide to have some alone time to themselves. Like some of my Zelda oneshots (if you're one of my Zelda readers, this shouldn't be a surprise), this will feature a song (so it's a songfic?), but the song is 100 percent mine. The lyrics are all written by me, so don't bother trying to Google it. I have a strict policy against using actual songs… plus, Fanfiction has become really anal and threatens to delete you if you do since they're more afraid of a law suit than YouTube is. For my Zelda readers, you do not have to have played the Phoenix Wright games to follow the plot. Conversely, to my new readers here in the Phoenix Wright section, you do not have to have played the Zelda games to follow the plot of my stories there (the same goes for my FFX story—ESPECIALLY that one).

This oneshot is told from Phoenix's point of view. Lastly, because I'm just on the first game, it will feature only the characters from there: Phoenix, Maya, Miles, Larry, and Gumshoe. That's all I really need for this oneshot, anyway. I won't be needing an extensive cast—right now, anyway—since this will mainly focus on Phoenix and Maya.

I don't own _Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney._

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Fourth of July  
SirJoshizzle

GOURD LAKE PARK, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: JULY 4, 2017; 6:48 PM PDT

It was really Gumshoe's idea that we all get together for Fourth of July.

He planned that we'd have a barbecue at Gourd Lake Park, along with half the population of LA, and afterwards we'd watch the fireworks show on the other side of the lake. Also, he said it would be a perfect opportunity to celebrate Maya's return from Kurain, now that she's a full-fledged spirit medium. She came back a little ahead of schedule; she said it would take at least a year for her to complete her training, yet it's only been probably seven months since she left and returned a few days ago.

Larry and Maya were all for it and instantly agreed, you know them. I was a little unsure about the whole thing; lately, there's been so much work piling up on my desk back at the office due to my procrastination and the fact that I have a perfect win record, but Maya insisted.

"You work _way_ too hard, Nick!" She told me. "Live a little and take a break!"

So I gave in. Edgeworth on the other hand was his usual old self when Gumshoe approached him about coming with us—stubborn, defiant, put simply: a complete ass. But he caved in after much prodding from the others.

Edgeworth and Gumshoe are conversing casually over the grill as Dick turns over a few steaks and Edgeworth nurses his glass of wine. Larry is busy inflating his giant Steel Samurai inflatable and Maya is a group of little kids, waiting for the Steel Samurai to be ready. I'm just casually sitting on the grass under a cherry blossom tree sipping my cup of imported sake, watching a group of people set up the fireworks.

A few moments later, Larry casually walks over to me, looking at the kids and Maya go grazy over the Steel Samurai over his shoulder. He turns to me, pointing his thumb at Maya, and I shake my head, chuckling softly to myself.

"How's it goin' Nick?" He says as he sits down next to me, pouring himself some sake.

"Okay," I shrug.

"It's cool to have Maya back, huh?" He raises an eyebrow slightly.

"Yeah," I nod. "Being an attorney hasn't been the same while she was gone. It made the office and doing all that investigating and going through trials pretty boring. I'm glad she's back, now."

We toast our shotglasses and down the contents simultaneously. "She looks different," Larry comments. "She looks… more like a woman…" I turn to him, and he shifts his eyes suspiciously.

"Forget about it," I shake my head. "She's only seventeen. Need I explain the finer points of the law to you?"

"Hey, she's _eighteen_ now," he stresses the number. "Correct me if I'm wrong Mr. Laywer, but isn't that legally an adult age?"

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, you're right… but still, forget about it."

"Hey, hey…" He holds up his hands defensively. "Why you bein' all defensive about it?"

"I'm not being defensive about it," I shrug. "I'm just saying is all."

He flashes me a smirk and I narrow my eyes. "…What?"

"…How long has it been since you had a girlfriend, Nick?" He asks me after a short pause.

I choke on my sake and cough a few times, loosening up my tie a bit. "Why!? …I don't know, when I was 22 I think?"

"That's already three years!" Larry exclaims. "Don't you think it's time for a relationship?"

I shake my head. "Larry, at this point in my life, one of the last things I need is to be in a relationship."

"See Nick, that's your problem." He gives me a disapproving look. "You work too much. Loosen up a bit! Get laid for once…"

I shoot him a bitter look.

"You're in your mid-twenties and you work yourself like you're some old guy!" He goes on. "Why not take things slow for once? Go out on a date with a girl… What better than Maya?"

I turn away from him and direct my gaze towards Maya, who's still with the kids, playing tag with them.

"Tell you what," Larry says after a little while. "Take her on a walk through the Lake woods. At least get take time to catch up on things."

I think about the idea for a little bit. That _does_ sound nice. Ever since she got back, we haven't had much time to talk, even though she _is _my assistant at the office again. All that paperwork on my desk explains it, really.

"I think I'll do just that," I nod, standing up and dusting my backside off.

"The rest is up to you," he points at me, winks and clicks his tongue, to which I just roll my eyes.

I make my way towards Maya and I tap her on her shoulder gently. She turns around and flashes a bright smile.

"Hey Nick!" She exclaims.

God, she's pretty.

…Where did _THAT_ come from???

"Hey Maya," I start. "I was thinking that we take a walk together right about now."

"A walk?" She gives me a questioning look.

"Yeah," I nod. "Just a walk through the Lake woods. Get reacquainted. I want to hear all about your training."

"…Okay," she agress, clasping her hands together in front of her chest. "Oh, but wait… Aren't the Lake woods off limits? Remember during the Hammond Trial with von Karma? Lotta got in trouble after she set up camp there."

"The rangers just said that it was off limits for camping," I answer with a slight sing-song tone. "They said nothing about walks."

She giggles softly and nods. "Fair enough."

I gently take her hand in mine and I lead her down the path to the Gourd Lake Woods. The instant our hands touch I feel my cheeks blush slightly. As we leave the others, I look back at Larry, whose grinning goofily at me. I just roll my eyes at him and look forward.

_It was the night_  
_Of the Fourth of July  
__As the sun fell, yellow, red  
__And orange filled the sky  
__And as the moon slowly rose  
__It was then that I chose  
__To take you with me on a moonlit stroll and baby_

_Then I took your hand in mine  
__And I led you away  
__From the crowds, food, beer and wine  
__And the remnants of the day  
__As the summer breeze left us on a natural high  
__On that Fourth of July_

"So did you find any nice waterfalls to sit under?" I joke with a soft smile. She just giggles and pushes me softly.

"Hey," she folds her arms. "If you knew just how important that is to my training, then it wouldn't be so funny."

"…But if you must know, yes, I did find some nice waterfalls to sit under," she sticks her tongue out at me, and I chuckle. "How about you Nick? I've heard you're quite the law prodigy… A perfect court record… Why, you could be the next von Karma!"

I flinch noticeably at her remark. "I'd prefer that you don't use that comparison."

"I didn't mean it like that Nick," she shakes her head. "I meant record wise. von Karma didn't deserve his record. He lied and forged his way to winning a case. You're different, Nick. You stand up for justice."

I scratch the back of my head and grin sheepishly. "I'm just doing what the job descroption says."

"No really," Maya shakes her head. "My sister would be full of pride to see how far her protégé has gone."

Mia…

I never stop thinking about Mia, Maya's late older sister. She was my mentor, and she cleared my name when I was put on trial for murder, when I was framed and no one would believe me. If it weren't for her, I'd surely be behind bars right about now. The least I could do for her is keep her sister safe.

Maya runs up the path and spins around, the sleeves of her yukata spinning around. She stops and faces me, winking girlishly and sticking her tongue out playfully.

Larry was right, Maya sure has changed in the seven months she's been gone. While she's not attractive in an overt way like Mia was, Maya is a very beautiful girl, the kind of beauty that you have to pay close attention to really appreciate it. Her breasts aren't nearly as big as Mia's, but they complimented her petit frame. Her raven colored hair is held up by lacquered chopsticks instead of falling straight down with a small bun in the back like it usually is.

"Porcupine head," she smirks. I raise an eyebrow at her remark.

I catch up with her so that we're walking side-by-side again, and we talk a little bit more. She tells me about all of the training exercises she's had to undergo and perfect. I tell her about all the court trials I've had to put up with, the first one being the case in February with Lana and Ema Skye and the Joe Darke murders.

GOURD LAKE WOODS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: JULY 4, 2017; 7:28 PM PDT

Maya and I are sitting together on a small knoll in a clearing on the shore of the lake, where Lotta set up her camp during the Hammond/von Karma Trial. A little to the right is the Lake park where the others are, and to the left is where are the fireworks are set up. I wonder if the others are wondering about us? We've been gone for some time. I bet Larry's taken care of it. But then again, he's probably told them some crock like we're having sex or something. I bet that's what he wants us to do.

…That doesn't sound like a bad idea now that I think about it...

WHOA! Did I just think that!??!

I'm sure it's nothing. I haven't seen Maya in almost a year. I've really missed having her in the office and tagging along on crime scene investigations and in the courtroom.

I'm laying on my backside, my blazer unbuttoned. The top few buttons of my dress shirt are undone as well, revealing parts of my upper chest. My tie is heavily loosened. Maya is cuddled next to me, her left cheek resting between my chest and my right arm, which is around her neck. Her right hand is fiddling with my attorney's badge, turning it in its place.

_Looking up to the sky  
__All the stars so up high  
__Shining and twinkling  
__Upon you and I  
__And you leaned onto me  
__And then you tenderly  
__Pressed your lips onto mine  
__With fervid intensity and baby_

I look down at her, and I'm surprised to see her inching her way towards me, slowly closing the gap between our lips. I subconsciously lift my head and lean into her as well, like she has some magnetic pull on me. Our lips gently brush against each other. My eyes are wide in shock, mainly at myself. Her eyes are half-lidded, so I can't really tell what she's thinking right now. I lean my head forward some more to press my lips harder against hers, but not so hard to scare her. I feel her lift her hands off my chest and wrap themselves around my neck, and I gently turn us over so that I'm pinning her against the grass. A soft moan escapes her lips, and I part them with my own, slipping my tongue into her mouth.

_Then I took your hand in mine  
__And I led you away  
__Into an obscure place to hide  
__Free from the norms of the day  
__As your loving left me on a natural high  
__On that Fourth of July_

I hear distant booming and banging behind me. There comes a few whistling sounds, a short pause, and then a bang. The pattern repeated over and over. I guess the fireworks show has started. But this… this is _way_ more interesting.

_Blue, red and white  
__Streamed across the night  
__All through the sky,  
__Roman candles glowed alight  
__You and I  
__Look in each other's eyes  
__Lovingly_

To my chagrin, Maya gently pulls away, gazing into my dark eyes, and I stare breathlessly into hers, beathing heavily. She breaks her eyes away from mine and looks pass me towards the night sky, and I slowly turn in the direction she's looking. Firecrackers burst into sparkling colors, illuminating the night and exposing the clouds that lay hidden underneath the shrouds of darkness.

I turn back to her, and my eyes go wide yet again as my lips instantly meet hers. I feel her hands run through my spiky dark hair. Normally I don't let people do that, but for Maya, I'll make an exception.

_Then I took your hand in mine  
__And I led you away  
__To our very own place in time  
__And forever we stayed  
__As the moment left us on a natural high  
__On that Fourth of July_

Slowly and reluctantly, I pulled away from her, slowly opening my eyes are hers fluttered open.

"I love you Maya," I whisper huskily into her ear, nibbling on the nape of her neck. I feel her shudder in response, tightening her arms around my neck.

"I love you too…" I hear her breathe. "…Phoenix."

…Good thing I took Larry's advice on going on that walk with Maya. He's said he's always wanted to repay me the debt he owes me for clearing his name last year.

He can consider his debt repaid.

_Never have I felt a sweeter natural high  
__Than on that Fourth of July  
__Never will I feel a sweeter natural high  
Than on that Fourth of July  
_

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Yay for fluff of any sort! Fluffier than Egyptian cotton, and cliched as hell (but people who say something is cliché are cliché). 

To my Zelda readers, chapter nineteen of _Charm Bracelet_ is on its way. I've just been suffering a major case of laziness and procrastination lately (my writing philosophy is that I don't suffer from writer's block, I suffer from laziness). Just sit sight because I'm almost done with the fifth trial of Phoenix Wright, so I'll be able to finally move on from that and finish up chapter ninteen… And then it's on to playing _Phoenix Wright: Justice for All_!!! Yay for downloading DS games off Torrent!

Review please, and _Happy Fourth of July._

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End time: Wednesday July 4, 2007; 10: 00 PM PDT

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